Sunday, December 8, 2013

Balboa Park is Magical!

If you want to experience Christmas in San Diego, Balboa Park is simply amazing!!

What a privilege to shoot such a fun family, The Hagens; Liz, Trevor and Killian played with aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins! Below is a sneak peak of our Balboa adventure.

Meet Princess Payton, she sure is a sweetie!


Killian has endless energy and loves to say "cheese" while singing "Rudolph the red nosed reindeer."

The Hagens are an absolute joy! 

What makes your holiday magical? 

With Peace,
Strait photos 

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Holiday Storyboards

Taking holiday pictures; what a chore or perhaps a big snore? Not anymore!!! :)

What makes YOUR card the different; is today's question?

The absolute best holiday photos are about representing this season of your life. This moment, captured, in a thousand words, without uttering a single  one. 

Sneak peak at some of Strait photos holiday photographs. 

1. Texturize 

Combine textures, sand and pine cones are from different ecosystems, however combing coveys world without limits, with out restrictions. 

2. Laugh
Genius, actually laugh at your self! Dressed in funky colors, posing a certain way, singing that tune, it's all... Hysterical!  So laugh and capture the moment in all it's chaos. Relish. Enjoy! 

3. Lighting 
The more nature light the better, remember to enjoy the beauty of early nights, after nap time lighting, closer to dusk and perfection. Play with your location in relation to your subject. Find where the light meets your object, click and capture. 

4. Go with the flow
Instead of placing and posing just follow and click! 

So many of our favorite photos are those candid moments we capture. Simply keep your eye on the prize and snap away!!! You are bound to get 1 or 30 good ones! Remember the more "good" shots the harder the "holiday card" selection becomes. So keep it simple and go with your mojo! 

5. Just do it!
Nike was onto something. Just do it, you could plan forever, execute and surprise yourself. Less thought more expression, feels more natural. Such is conveyed within an image, is this stage? Or simply an evolution of a vision, your creation. Abstract and wonderful, just do it! 

Please share your holiday creation on our page, so many great ideas, so little time!

On your market, get set, shoot! 
 

Happy holidays!

Strait Photos

RSVP: straitphotos@gmail.com 
For a holiday shoot near you. We will be in Boston this week and back in San Diego for the first week of December! 

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Maternity & Family sneak peaks

It appears that everywhere we look there is a beautiful mother about to birth a baby. This weekend (I know ts only Saturday) I have already been lucky enough to photograph 2 expecting mamas and their respective families.

Sneak peaks below:

1. Meet Emily and Brian, free spirits for sure and fun loving people. These photos capture who they and their soon to be born baby girl are in one word: fun. :)


Not to mention that we had a fabulous sunset to work with last pm in gorgeous south mission beach San Diego, CA. .

 .

2. The Wilensky's; Jason, Pamela & sweet Haley are about to add 1 to there family of three.
We met early this morning at Wind N Sea in La Jolla. As a photographer in San Diego, I'm blessed to have such glorious backdrops at my fingertips. The Wilensky's were perfectly willing to play at the beach and let me capture their growing family, what more could I ask for on such a morning.









Now off to start the weekend and bring the camera on a family bike ride. Hope everyone enjoys the day!
Strait Photos

for more information check out: www.straitphotos.com

Monday, October 28, 2013

Its that time again

So with Halloween falling on a weekday most of us already celebrated last weekend. That's over, costumes are crusty, candy is discounted, so what's next...IN the age of instant gratification, we need to get focused on the next big day, sorry thanksgiving you do not have time in this equation. From today forward TV, social media even shopping displays; EVERYTHING is centered on one thing...Christmas. YEP. who needs thanksgiving, its almost enmeshed with Halloween, so keep those decorations and focus on the big event...Your family holiday card.

As a photographer (a depiction that makes me seem much more serious than I am) I'm boggled with millions of great photos leaving me on a quest to find the perfect one! After all, this photo will represent your families year in one snap!  

Too many photos, too little time and way too much thought... Leaves many forgetting the essential one piece, we have a family to be proud enough to photograph and the ability to swap cards with loved ones! All that really matters is the thought behing actually sending a card. Most often its the only card ine recieves all year! If someone were to judge your life by a photo, then by all means think of removing that person from next years mass mailing.   

Strait photos has compelled a list of essentials to convey the image "you" wish to convey to your audience. Are you a silly family or perhaps a "Santa's lap" experience must be included? Either way, your photo will be perfect if you genuinely love what you are doing. Similar to life, when we enjoy an activity, there is never enough "time;" however when we loath the moment we know a child will scream or a spouse will wrinkle an eyebrow the experience is lost and the picture simply becomes an old photo at best.

This year maybe try to show yourself and your family, in your element, doing the thing that best makes your family come alive.

 Strait photos has compelled a list of the top 5 "must haves" in a holiday card. 

5. Everyone looking at the camera. In the heat of the photoshoot one can appear overwhelming and sometimes quite difficult. For instance, if you have young children or teens, (two of the more "difficult" ages to capture) remember an inside joke, fart, make a reference to aunt Sally's excess halitosis! Be creative, silly, sing a favorite toddler tune and just maybe be less serious... 
Genuine happiness often represents itself best in unposed and natural states.  Afterall it's just a photo not your audition for America's next top model! Relax and just go with the flow. A good photographer will take the lead. So sit back and play the "cover glamorous" role in your photo! 

4. Holiday flare - folks want to spice it up, decorate, pick a forest scene, get grandmas favorite Christmas vest. Reverse roles; (this is a sure shift in mood moment) if your a parent act like your stubborn string willed toddler! As a mother and therapist workibg with teens, I frequently encourage my youth to be the therapist, it cracks them up! Same with my daughter, when I pretend I am sleeping and snore, my daughter will belly laugh and "say mommy sleepy," "do again!" it could go in fir gours so set your limit. Switching roles gives all a perspective that inevitably builds a sense if unity and laughter.

3. Background setting, key factor! Folks appeal to a variety of elements. Some prefer the traditional "feel" while others like a "SoCal" beach vibe. Whatever your cultural and or religious beliefs, overall everyone appears to agree that a family "tradition" make for a "perfect" card, translating to a pleasant family experience. After all, if you send a card where family members or loved ones are geniuniely engaged, (recorruing word for strait photo friends)  the photo in turn takes on that moment. 

2. Smile, cheese. Happy day! Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, Yay Kwanzaa or one of the million other traditions observed; the main priniciple expressed is relaying consist happiness to those who comprise ones community. Embracing the moment, being presently aware of what brought you to purchase or conduct a "photo shoot."

1. Most importantly, to all that Strait Photos polled, is that sense of connectedness. That the photographer understanding the people inthe photo. Share a few tips about yourself, even if unsolicited by the photgrapher will assist in building uniqueness. Do not be afraid to speak up. Tell the photographer what you want. If assertiveness is not your strength, practice telling someone what you want. Start now, be kind and let the photgrapher know your vision, we all have one. Remind yourself,  it's your time, your memory, own it! 

On that note; I'd like to revisit Halloween, since it is tomorrow! This is my family's attempt at a Halloween card, and yes it happen! So just keep swimming, swimming, swimming." 

Happy Halloween!
Strait photos 

Tiny Halloween

Boo...Halloween is such a treat (literally) for parents, teachers and just about anyone who gets to watch the costumes come to life. This year has been especially fun for our family, as our daughter is able to say "pumpkin," "boo," she even pretends to be a snake, ghost and witch to scare us. She belly laughs at acting like "halloweenie" As many of you know, I recently launched my own photography business, www.straitphotos.com. I am an avid photographer, have for been for years, just finally gained the confidence to pursue the business side of photos, thanks to my Husband for giving my the push I needed to get out there and "work it girl."
 
All that said, Halloween is the best with colors and costumes. We had a blast at our playgroup's party last pm and are even more excited for the real day!!! 
 
S being Scary...
 
Some of the crew :)

 
 
 
I mean does it get much cuter?
 
 
More soon,
Strait Photos